Salvia ‘Desley’ is one of the outstanding performers in my garden. It flowers heavily and continuously through the year, in a rich plum colour that makes an excellent foil for other plants. I have it in many spots, both full sun and part shade.
‘Desley’ is a shrubby, Salvia splendens -derived plant. It grows to 1.5 m in sun or higher in shade, as a rounded bush. Leaves are dark green and glossy, with indented veins, around 60 mm long by 35 mm wide toward the base, and tapered at the tip to a long point. Petioles are dark, almost black, and 25 mm long. Flowers are set in clusters of three along terminal spikes to 150 mm long. Both flowers and calyces are a rich plum colour. The 50 mm flowers are a little lighter than the 15 mm calyces.
I think Salvia ‘Desley’ looks great mixed in with other salvias. As it begins its new flowering season in Spring, and is the same size as Salvia ‘Van Houttei’, I have them alternating in a semi-shaded spot. In full sun it also pairs well with the silvery whites of Salvias ‘Phyllis Fancy’ and ‘Meigans Magic’ or the coral red of ‘Embers Wish’.
Salvia ‘Desley’ grows easily from cuttings. I haven’t seen seeds and suppose it is sterile.